Boston is a free agent, and while the chargers want to keep him, the Steelers cluld easily dunp Motchells $5M base salary this year and use that cap space for year one of a backloaded contract with Boston. Even a $8m per ear deal cluld be structured to have a miniscule cap hit in year 1.

If they pull it off, and maybe scoop up Timmons after hes cut, how does that change the way you draft?

I think ILB and safety are still needs, but now you can still take best player available in round one without reaching. Maybe one of the few good edge players falls and we snag them. Or a replacement for Bryant. Or we can snag another offensive playmaker for the stable in the second.

Steelers have to clear enough cap space to make Bell an offer-- they have to have the available cap space when they offer the franchise tag.

Even if they let Bell walk, they're $3M over the cap, so they have to make cuts/restructures before doing anything. Then there's the whole waiting to hear from the league office if they get any relief from Shazier's contract cap hit. This will take time.

Tre Boston will probably be one of the first FAs to sign, and we'll probably sign one of the last.

My guess? They will clear cap space, sign Bell to too big a deal, sign a bottom tier FA at ILB and and call it a day until the draft. Kevin Pierre-Louis at 3 yrs, 9M would have been a good bet... right up until he was arrested last week for marijuana possession.

_________________

Suwanee88 wrote:

But it’s your fault that you are kind of a stubborn jagoff that would argue with a fence post

Steelers have to clear enough cap space to make Bell an offer-- they have to have the available cap space when they offer the franchise tag.

Even if they let Bell walk, they're $3M over the cap, so they have to make cuts/restructures before doing anything. Then there's the whole waiting to hear from the league office if they get any relief from Shazier's contract cap hit. This will take time.

Tre Boston will probably be one of the first FAs to sign, and we'll probably sign one of the last.

My guess? They will clear cap space, sign Bell to too big a deal, sign a bottom tier FA at ILB and and call it a day until the draft. Kevin Pierre-Louis at 3 yrs, 9M would have been a good bet... right up until he was arrested last week for marijuana possession.

I didn’t realize it was so tight..... I also heard earlier this week that they will probably have to eat the $8.7M for Shazier and it WILL count against the cap. If all true - I can’t see Bell getting his deal.

Steelers have to clear enough cap space to make Bell an offer-- they have to have the available cap space when they offer the franchise tag.

Even if they let Bell walk, they're $3M over the cap, so they have to make cuts/restructures before doing anything. Then there's the whole waiting to hear from the league office if they get any relief from Shazier's contract cap hit. This will take time.

Tre Boston will probably be one of the first FAs to sign, and we'll probably sign one of the last.

My guess? They will clear cap space, sign Bell to too big a deal, sign a bottom tier FA at ILB and and call it a day until the draft. Kevin Pierre-Louis at 3 yrs, 9M would have been a good bet... right up until he was arrested last week for marijuana possession.